Chapter 76

“But still, y-you could at least untie me before you leave.”

“No, I don’t think I will. You’re expecting a lot from a horny bastard like me.”

Maxim grinned, clearly enjoying teasing her.

Was he really not going to untie her?

She had thought the ribbon was tied loosely, but of course, it must’ve been the special forces training. In that short time, he’d managed to tie an absurdly tight and complicated knot. Daisy squirmed, trying to free her wrists, but quickly began to panic.

“Max…”

“…”

“Maxim von Waldeck.”

“…”

“Hey! Are you fucking deaf?!”

Finally, Maxim glanced back, raising a brow as if her yelling had finally caught his attention.

“…Untie me. You tied it too tight. It’s hurting me. Please?”

Hearing her desperate tone, Maxim sighed as if it couldn’t be helped and walked back to her side.

“For someone who claims to have picked up all kinds of skills in the back alleys, untying knots wasn’t one of them, huh?”

Maxim loosened the knot just enough to relieve the pressure on her wrists, then reached out to gently smooth her disheveled hair, brushing it into place with surprising tenderness.

“Get some sleep. I’ll untie you once you’re out.”

“…”

“I know you don’t trust me, but I mean it. I won’t touch someone who’s really asleep. Pretenders, on the other hand, are a different story.”

Daisy pouted, pushing out her lower lip.

“Oh, and I’ll be taking these.”

Ignoring her entirely, Maxim hooked her panties on his finger and playfully dangled them back and forth.

“Well then, good night, Your Majesty.”

With that cheeky farewell, he pressed a light kiss to Daisy’s forehead and disappeared into the bathroom.

Once her husband was gone, Daisy stared blankly at the closed door for what felt like an eternity.

‘Hah, how has my life come to this…’

Lying half-naked, wrists tied up and unable to move, while her wet panties were casually stolen. This was her reality.

Even she couldn’t believe how ridiculous it sounded.

‘I don’t even have the strength to lift a finger. I might as well just sleep.’

He did say he’d untie her if she was asleep. So, with a sigh, Daisy closed her eyes and accepted her fate.

It had been an exceptionally exhausting night, and her husband was, without a doubt, utterly insane.

༺♰༻

“Sir!”

Inside Maxim von Waldeck’s office.

His aide entered, standing at rigid attention with a sharp salute, while Maxim lazily lifted himself from his reclined position, clipping the tip of his cigar.

Unlike his stiffly disciplined subordinate, Maxim von Waldeck looked utterly uninterested, his face full of boredom.

“The orphanage. Did you look into it?”

“Yes, Captain.”

“Report.”

Maxim stored the partially smoked cigar back in its case, resting his elbow lazily on the mahogany desk and resting his chin on his hand.

“Her Highness appeared at the orphanage about a year ago, carrying a newborn infant while suffering a stab wound in her side. She introduced herself as Daisy, said to be from the slums, and claimed to have no surname.”

So far, her story matched the report.

“After living there for about a year, Count Therese appeared, claiming she was his daughter and would be taking her away.”

“And her connection to the child?”

“She told the nuns she’d just happened to save the orphaned child and was bringing it in. Her Highness had already been baptized and become a nun by then, and judging by her appearance and other circumstances, it’s unlikely she has any direct blood ties to the child.”

“I see.”

Arriving wounded with a baby in her arms… How typical of her to have such a soft spot, no matter what situation she found herself in.

“You said she was injured. Elaborate.”

“She suffered a stab wound that required stitching. She was unconscious for three days.”

“A stab wound to the side? Was it deep? Why did it take three days for her to wake up?”

“Not particularly, but she showed symptoms of poisoning and remained unconscious. They used an antidote to treat her.”

“So the blade was coated with poison.”

“Yes. Here’s the medical report. It seems the nuns called a doctor from the city because her condition appeared to be critical.”

The aide handed over an old document. Maxim reviewed it carefully, every prescription and medical procedure had been meticulously recorded.

“I see. Given that they used an antidote, they must have identified the type of poison.”

“Yes, Captain.”

“Trace everything. Where it came from to how it was distributed. I want every single detail.”

“Understood.”

Maxim finished scanning the report, summarized it, and then placed it back on his desk.

“Anything else? No leads on her whereabouts prior to the orphanage?”

“None, sir. It’s clean. Like she never existed before that.”

Like she never existed in this world? That sort of thing doesn’t just happen.

“Keep searching. I don’t care how small or trivial it seems, report it all to me. I will be the judge of its importance.”